“He doesn’t back down, and this is the thing I love about this fight,” Neer told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today. “He is always coming forward, and he never takes a step backward.”

Neer got the call to fight Alvarez after two consecutive wins in regional promotions. The bout is at a 160-pound catchweight, 10 pounds lighter than his usual welterweight class. But after Neer watched tape on the Bellator champ, he was convinced he could pull off the upset.

“In this fight we are going to clash right in the middle of the cage,” Neer said. “I am not going to back down; I am not going to want to go backward. I am going to want to go forward, and from what I have seen from Eddie is he wants to move forward, and he wants to be the aggressor.”

Neer, a seven-year MMA veteran, was cut by the UFC this past October after two consecutive losses to jiu-jitsu specialists Kurt Pellegrino and Gleison Tibau, who controlled him on the mat. He was not shy in expressing his disdain for their grappling-heavy gameplans, and frequently raised his arms in protest as he struggled to get to his feet.

Alvarez, who fought at welterweight earlier in his career, is known best for his boxing and wrestling skills. He’s currently riding a four-fight win streak, including three consecutive Bellator victories that netted him the promotion’s lightweight belt.

With Alvarez’s wrestling background, is Neer concerned that he could wind up on his back again? Not if he draws first blood.

“The first trade is going to be key in this fight,” Neer said. “I look at this fight in particular as I have a huge opportunity to upset a guy, and I definitely am capable of beating him.”

Current betting lines have Alvarez as a 2-to-1 favorite in the fight, and that’s the way Neer likes it.

“I love coming into fights as the underdog because there is no pressure,” Neer said. “There is no doubt in my mind that I can beat Eddie. I am going in there to win, not to collect a paycheck.

“I am going in there to win the fight and that is how I approach every fight – to win.”